title: Ethanol-induced coronary vasodilation in patients with and without coronary artery disease.
abstract: To assess the influence of ethanol on coronary arterial blood flow and dimensions, we measured coronary sinus blood flow in 35 subjects (23 men and 12 women, aged 38 to 69 years; (29 with and 6 without coronary artery disease) before and during a 15- to 30-minute intracoronary infusion of (1) 5% dextrose in water (n = 15, controls) or (2) 5% dextrose in water (n = 20). In the controls heart rate, arterial pressure, and coronary sinus blood flow were unchanged. In those receiving ethanol at a rate that produced a concentration in coronary sinus blood of 285 +/- 102 (mean +/- SD) mg/dl, heart rate-systolic arterial pressure product was unchanged; coronary sinus blood flow rose 27 +/- 36%, and coronary vascular resistance fell 17 +/- 22% (p less than 0.05 in comparison to baseline); arterial-coronary sinus oxygen content difference fell (p less than 0.05), and epicardial coronary arterial dimensions were unchanged. Thus intracoronary ethanol increases coronary blood flow and decreases resistance without inducing a change in epicardial coronary dimensions, suggesting that its effect results from dilatation of the intramyocardial resistance vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cigarroa
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Popma
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yurow
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sills
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Firth
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hillis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol